Review: Just B - Damage

Just B is made up of already known K-Pop trainees. Lim Jimin already has made a solo debut, and the rest of the members are I-Land and Under Nineteen. Plus, their musical style and production are from former B.A.P member Bang Yongguk. Us B.A.P fans are quite dry on content, we will really eat anything up.

Thankfully, Damage is worth all the build-up. It is built on that theatrical sense of drama that has really been missing in modern K-Pop. At the core of it here is the surging choir, which grows to a crescendo prior to the bridge, and appears throughout the chorus.

Damage's centerpiece is an EDM drop, reminiscent of how the sound was predominantly used in the early 2010s. Between various western releases, A.C.E's comeback, and this debut, I have a feeling that this style might just become the next big thing. I, for one, will always appreciate a strong EDM song, I practically grew up with the style, but always hope it is paired with a good melody. Thankfully, Damage's drop has a sense of pulverizing drama which is always appreciated. Curiously enough, I appreciate the start-stop structure of the chorus, even if it generally ends up being the bane of many-a-song. Over here, it is used to give a sense of finality, which along with the choirs, creates a tense atmosphere.

The verses are driven by a sense of uneven growth. It works with the song's new world, even if it can be off-putting at times, especially with the muted ad-lib-Esque samples in the back. The members clearly are experienced, with a variety of tones building this atmosphere. The biggest surprise here is Lim Jimin's deep voice, as it is very different from the sort of work he had released (Loveholic, Who, You?), and more similar to Yongguk's style, and it works excellently.

The song's real peak, however, is the dance break after the second verse. The melody, staccato electronic beats, and the choir all come together for around 25 seconds of pure drama before the song ends with a slow-down. I personally found the slow down unneeded, but it does not necessarily do anything wrong.

Lyrically, Damage is another of the million or so K-Pop songs about triumphing over weaknesses and misconceptions to rise. Thankfully, there are some strong lines, such as "Stereotypes won't disappear, but I'll smash the ones you have".

In the end, Damage is not perfect, and even uneven at times, but it is on this charm that the song thrives. Plus, the dramatic EDM chorus is quite incredible.

Rating: 9/10

Image Source: Kpopreviewed